Impacted by the increase in COVID-19 cluster infections tied to Taoyuan General Hospital and to comply with pandemic prevention measures instructed by the Central Epidemic Command Center(CECC), Mayor Huang Wei-che announced the cancellation of 2021 Taiwan International Orchid Show(TIOS), which set to take place in Taiwan Orchid Plantation in March.
Huang Wei-che pointed out that TIOS is celebrating its 17th anniversary this year and it attracts over 200 thousand visitors from home and abroad each year. Moreover, TIOS plays a significant role in Tainan’s agriculture, making the value of exported orchids exceed ten billion dollars. However, if this kind of large event continues, public health will be put at risk and TIOS’s brand image might be damaged.
He added, TIOS is a trade platform for international orchid market, in which orchid traders and growers might conduct transactions and exchange agricultural techniques. However, after the central government imposes tighter entry restrictions on foreigners on January 1, it’s even harder for foreign panels, speakers and traders to join this event. For this reason, 2021 TIOS may serve no purpose of boosting international engagement and facilitating diplomatic relations, which are TIOS’s core objectives, and thus it’s reasonable to cancel 2021 TIOS.
Despite the cancellation of 2021 TIOS, Tainan City Government still strives for promoting Tainan’s agricultural products in various way by proposing holistic post-COVID19 marketing strategies to Agriculture and Food Agency(COA).
Huang Wei-che stressed that though Tainan City Government is implementing the impeccable COVID-19 prevention measures, it’s still too risky to hold such a large event when the pandemic’s ravaging the world. As a result, the city government had made a hard decision to cancel 2021 TIOS. After the pandemic ebbs, Taiwan International Orchid Show will stage a comeback in a more vibrant way.